Okay, perhaps the post title is a slight understatement. I got a big haircut.

Lots of you on Instagram saw this photo yesterday, so here’s the blog reveal!

Yesterday I paid a visit to my stylist Angelica, the owner of Tigerlilie Salon, a great vintage-themed salon in Chicago. I’ve essentially had the same hairstyle for a few years now, give or take a few inches of length. While I’ve been happy with my hair, it was getting a bit boring doing the same thing all the time, so I felt up for a change!

It also served another purpose of cutting off nearly all of the permanent black hair dye I’ve been wanting to grow out for at least a year now. So I think what you’re seeing is pretty much my natural color!

I still wanted a cut that felt very vintage, even if it was totally outside of my normal look. I struggled with this nearly two years ago when I first contemplated a short cut, but I was worried how it would look when I didn’t feel like setting it. Because when my hair was long and I didn’t set it, I always felt it looked like crap. But I work from home most of the time, so it’s easy to be lazy a lot, and that in turn always made me feel crummy about myself!

So I went for a classic bob with long bangs, seen on such people as 20s style icon Louise Brooks, and currently sported by Australian actress Essie Davis in Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (which I’m newly obsessed with and definitely helped influence the decision to go this short). But I’ve also seen evidence of this style in the 1950s, too!

The great thing about this cut is that I can flop between completely different looks–smooth and straight when I don’t want to fuss with setting it, but I can also play with short sets, too!

It’s a big change, that’s for sure. And it’s only been a day, so I’m still in a bit of shock seeing myself with this cut. But I think it’s going to be great fun!

Aw! so adorable! It does look a bit 20s but a little more 50s or 60s to me (Because the bangs are longer) I need to find a cut like this too, one where I can be lazy and not set it but not feel crummy about myself. Can’t wait to see some of your sets

Time will tell how the lazy part will work out, since I know I’ll have to blow it dry and flat iron it a bit! But at least that will last until I wash my hair again, unlike regular maintenance when I set it. 😉

It looks fab! I’ll be vey interested to see how you style it in different ways. I cut my hair into a bob recently, not as short as yours, but short for me. I was forced into it after a summer of bleaching and experimenting with various colours meant quite a lot simply fell off, honestly, I had hands full of purple hair just breaking off in big clumps!
I still have some of the bleached ends and I can’t decide if I should go shorter and cut those off too, or grow it a bit more first.
Anyway, i’d love to do more with it, but I’m hopeless with styling, so will look forward to seeing what you do. 🙂

Nice haircut! I have a very similar cut (albeit a little shorter all around and shingled in the back), and I love it! I think this suits you beautifully. I really hope you will do some posts on short sets soon–I struggle a little bit with that aspect of my ’20s bob and would love to see how you wear yours!

Thanks so much! I hope I’m able to come up with a set style or two that works out well (though it may take some time), and I’ll definitely blog about it, if so! And I figure if not hey, it’s still very cute like this too. 😉

So cute!! I’m currently having a 1920s moment too, having just finished season 4 of Downton Abbey, and thoroughly enjoyed the Miss Fisher Mysteries earlier this winter!! Unfortunately, my curly hair does not do well in a bob like that, so no short hair for me (plus, I think my husband would never forgive me…)

Mel was quite the opposite, extremely encouraging about this cut! I know that us watching Miss Fisher helped with that. lol I still have to wash and style it myself like this, so I hope I can get it to look similarly sleek and fab!

The bob suits you well – and your hair looks lovely and shiny and healthy, too. I’ve had lots of variations on the bob haircut for years as I have very thin hair it’s one of he few styles that makes it look like I have some! One of the things I like is that after styling in the morning and giving it a quick squirt of hairspray I don’t have to touch it all day and it still looks chic. I too will be interested to see how or if you end up setting it. I’ve been wondering about trying those little bendy rods in mine.

Thanks! I’ve had variations of bobs over the years, although it’s been quite awhile. I have thin hair too and I had forgotten that it behaves pretty well when it’s blown dry and straight like this. I haven’t washed my hair since it was cut Saturday and it looks literally exactly the same. Of course, we’ll see how that goes when it’s in my hands to style… 😉

I have the same hair issues. My hair is poker straight and whilst I LOVE it when I set it I can’t always be bothered or don’t always have time. I have a similar cut to this at the moment and find it seems to be the best of both worlds. I can set it or leave it and it’s fine either way. It looks gorgeous on you – loved your hair long too but this looks so different. xx

Oh my hair is not at all poker straight, that was just with the blow drying and flat iron. It’s kind of piddly wavy meh, totally not a great texture that looks good unstyled in any way at all! lol But I love the idea that this can be so versatile and styled completely different ways, I’ll have fun learning how! 🙂

Wow you look stunning with your new do! I had to do a double take when I saw your picture pop up in my feed, you look so different, but just as fabulous! It really, really suits you and you certainly give Miss Fisher a run for her money! x

I love it! I too used to dye my hair black and had to grow it out. Yours looks lovely. Another thing I also chopped my locks almost identical to yours. My bangs are a little more Bettie Page. And I have red hair, although that was a mistake.

Thanks! I still dye my hair but I wanted to get rid of all the permanent dye, so I’m really not entirely sure if I’m looking at my natural color or what. But I’m so glad to have the black gone. Even if I do demi-perm black again, at least it won’t be permanent. 😉

Stunning! Really, such a wonderful cut for you, and just perfect for your style. Love it. As for Miss Fisher, I just started watching after Rochelle mentioned it on her twitter feed recently (I am shy and do not have a blog of my own, but I LOVE following you fabulous ladies who do, so thanks for letting me!). I adore it and am already hoping that the second season starts streaming in America soon.

You look super, it really suits you! I usually have a 20s bob cut every 6 months or so, although I’ve left it over a year this time and I’m itching to get it back! It is a really versatile cut and I find it great for setting the fringe/bangs into curls to wear with headscarves etc.

I love it! Though I have to admit, I’m biased because of how much I love bobs — I’ve had one myself for years now after chopping off a good 15 or 16 inches of hair.

If you figure out some vintage sets that would suit a 1940s look, I would love to have a tutorial on those. When I do curl mine, it ends up looking very ’50s (maybe because I have no bangs?). An intro to doing ’30s style waves would also be amazing if you decide to try that route, as I find waving my hair to be so hit and miss! I feel like a lot of short-haired vintage gals have difficulty with this.

What a great haircut! And sweater! I’m commenting especially because I am admiring your jeans so much! Did you make these? I really enjoy your blog – thanks for sharing your creativity and personality.
Wendy

Definitely a BIG cut 🙂 But it looks great! Can we expect to see some 1920s inspired looks? Maybe a few fingerwaves to give a 30s look? Or some short sets a la 1950s? 🙂 I think you will have a lot of fun with it!

WOW! I love it! Not that you needed it but it took years off of you! I work in a hair salon and I absolutely love it when people have fun and play with their looks. I myself went just as short about 6 months ago and I don’t have any regrets! Super stylish hair to match your super stylish wardrobe! Beautiful!!

[…] I much prefer dresses with waistbands. Also: you may have guessed that I’m growing out my bob with bangs, because I just could never get behind it on my own head. Fortunately my hair turned a corner last […]

About Tasha

Welcome to By Gum, By Golly! I’m Tasha and I’ll be your host here at this vintage emporium, full of my adventures in knitting, sewing and living my life with a bit of vintage flair.
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